Scots soldier 'devastated' after teen daughter denied visa to live in Scotland

Denis Omondi, who lives in Inverness with his wife Shelagh, wants to bring his daughter to Scotland (Image: UGC MSN)

Sign up to FREE email alerts from Daily Record - daily

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. OurPrivacy Noticeexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

A serving British soldier has been left "devastated" after the Home Office declined his teenage daughter a visa to move to the UK from Kenya, an MP has revealed.

Lance Corporal Denis Omondi, who is stationed at Fort George, near Ardersier, wants to bring 14-year-old Ann to Scotland but has been told by the Home Office that he has "not spent enough time with her" for them to grant a visa.

SNP MP Drew Hendry, who raised the case at Prime Minister's Questions, told the Press Association that Denis had been left "devastated" by the debacle.

Mr Hendry said the soldier, who is not in a relationship with his daughter's mother, had uncontested custody of Ann.

He said: "Denis and his wife Shelagh have spent a lot of time going back and forward with the Home Office.

Read More

Related Articles

"The process has quite frankly been ridiculous and Denis has been devastated by it all, he and his wife just want to give Ann the home she deserves and the only thing preventing them from doing this is this Tory Government's approach to immigration."

L/Cpl Omondi is a British citizen who is originally from Kenya and has done tours of Afghanistan, Iraq and Cyprus during his eight years with the Black Watch.

He has visited Ann in Kenya every year since 2012, when he first became aware that she was his child.

He applied for an entry clearance application for a child in early November which was rejected by the Home Office on November 28.

"He has uncontested custody of his young daughter Ann, who is in Kenya.

"Although he visits her as often as he can, she has been denied a visa because the Home Office claims that he has not spent enough time with her.

"The problem is that Denis is a serving soldier in the British Army.

"He is stationed at Fort George, and has served tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and Cyprus at the behest of the UK Government.

"Does the Prime Minister believe that this situation is fair?

"Will she look into how this loyal soldier and loving father can be reunited with his daughter?"

Theresa May thanked L/Cpl Omondi for his commitment to the British Army and told Mr Hendry she did not know the details of the case but added: "I will ask the Home Secretary to look into it and respond to him."